Christopher Macias
Period 9 Nutria Coypu General Information: The nutria’s scientific name is Myocastor coypus, they are large semi-aquatic rodents. These rodents are indigenous to South America. The original range for the nutria was Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. (1) Nutria is smaller than a beaver but larger than a muskrat unlike beavers or muskrats; it has a round, slightly haired tail. The forelegs are small compared with its body size. The forepaws have five toes. Four are clawed and the fifth is smaller in size. (1)(2) The hind foot consists of four webbed, strongly clawed toes and one unwebbed toe. The hind legs are large compared with the forelegs; consequently, when moving on land, the nutria's chest drags on the ground and its back appears hunched. Although appearing awkward, the nutria is capable of fast overland travel for considerable distances. The ears are small and the eyes are set high on the head. Males are slightly larger then females. Nutria weighs an average of 12 pounds. Females have four pairs of mammary glands that are located on the side of the body, rather than on the belly. Presumably, this positioning of the mammary glands allow the young to nurse with their nose above the water's surface while the mother is floating. (1)
Nutria breed year round and are extremely prolific. Males reach sexual maturity between 4 and 9 months, whereas, females reach sexual maturity between 3 and 9 months. Sexual maturity may vary with habitat quality. (2) With a gestation period of only 130 days, in one year, adult nutria can produce two litters and be pregnant for a third. The number of young in a litter ranges from 1-13 with an average of 4.5 young. Females can breed within a day of having a litter. Litter size can vary with age of female, habitat quality and time of year. The young nutria at birth is fully furred and the eyes are open. Newborn nutria feed on vegetation within hours and will nurse for 7-8 weeks. (1) can live up to 6. (3)
Nutria are strict vegetarians, consuming their food both on land and water, where they shove aquatic plants to their mouths with their forepaws. These animals consume approximately 25 percent of their weight daily. (2) Nutria predominately feed on the base of plant stems and dig for roots and rhizomes in the winter. They often construct circular platforms of compacted, coarse emergent vegetation, which they use for feeding, birthing, resting and grooming. Nutria may also construct burrows in levees, dikes and embankments. (1)
Nutria have also adapted well to their new environment becausethey will eat almost any availableterrestrial or aquatic green plant. The marshes, swamps and crop fields of their new habitat provide them with an abundant food source. Described as “eating machines”, newborn nutria begin feeding on plants within 24 hours of birth. (2)
Habitat and Distribution: Habitat:
These rodents are indigenous to South America. The original range for the nutria was Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. (1)
Terrestrial Biomass, Aquatic Biomes, and Wetlands. (3)
3.Tropical, freshwater, savanna or grasslands, forests, scrub forests, lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, brackish water, marsh, and riparian. (3) Distribution:
In the 1930’s nutria imported from fur farms, nutria were released, either intentionally or accidentally, in the Louisiana marshes, and soon after, nutria populations were established near the Gulf Coast. (2) The nutria was first released into the Louisiana marshes. And as they quickly reproduced they started to spread. (1) The nutria continued to expand their range from Louisiana as they were trapped and transplanted into marshes from Port Arthur, and Texas to the Mississippi River in 1941. Later that year, a hurricane further dispersed nutria populations in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. (1) Impacts: Impacts on the Ecosystem:
Some positive aspects of the nutria are populations were established for the purpose of controlling invasive aquatic plant populations in lakes in the Gulf region. (2) And their fur has become wanted around the U.S. (3) Negative aspects are nutria here have been severely damaged wetlands, and by 1998 over 100,000 acres of wetlands were damaged. The population of muskrats has decreased due to competition for food sources. (2) Extensive damage has been reported in rice, soybean, and sugar fields both from direct predation and from damage caused by nutria burrowing. (3) Impact on Humans:
Most of the Louisiana nutria have been found to hold a virus or parasitical rash which causes severe itching. (2) There have also been economic impacts. Such as in spite of been trapped for its fur, nutria are considered pests in some places because their burrows damage dikes and irrigation facilities. Burrows sometimes penetrate or weaken the river banks. Nutria may raid rice and other cultivated crops, and they compete with native fur bearing animals. A demand for nutria fur developed in the early 19th century and has continued to the present. For this reason, nutria have been introduced almost worldwide. (3) Nutria Hunted to Save Wetlands Youtube <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/exf4PcMMk1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/exf4PcMMk1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> Control Measures: The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with the responsibility of managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. They are trying to eliminate the population of Nutria by creating a trapping season. This season will take place from November 20th till March 31st. only people who applyto be part of this trapping this group will be allowed to trap and kill the nutria. And when the mark of 400,000 nutria trapped and killed is reached the season will no longer exist unless necessary again. This will occur in Louisiana and hopefully will soon occur in other states soon. (1) Work Cited (1)http://www.nutria.com/site5.php (2)http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Myocastor_coypus.htm (3)http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Myocastor_coypus.html
Period 9
Nutria Coypu
General Information:
The nutria’s scientific name is Myocastor coypus, they are large semi-aquatic rodents. These rodents are indigenous to South America. The original range for the nutria was Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. (1) Nutria is smaller than a beaver but larger than a muskrat unlike beavers or muskrats; it has a round, slightly haired tail. The forelegs are small compared with its body size. The forepaws have five toes. Four are clawed and the fifth is smaller in size. (1)(2) The hind foot consists of four webbed, strongly clawed toes and one unwebbed toe. The hind legs are large compared with the forelegs; consequently, when moving on land, the nutria's chest drags on the ground and its back appears hunched. Although appearing awkward, the nutria is capable of fast overland travel for considerable distances. The ears are small and the eyes are set high on the head. Males are slightly larger then females. Nutria weighs an average of 12 pounds. Females have four pairs of mammary glands that are located on the side of the body, rather than on the belly. Presumably, this positioning of the mammary glands allow the young to nurse with their nose above the water's surface while the mother is floating. (1)
Nutria’s Swimming Youtube
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Detailed Description:
Habitat and Distribution:
Habitat:
- These rodents are indigenous to South America. The original range for the nutria was Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. (1)
- Terrestrial Biomass, Aquatic Biomes, and Wetlands. (3)
3. Tropical, freshwater, savanna or grasslands, forests, scrub forests, lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, brackish water, marsh, and riparian. (3)Distribution:
In the 1930’s nutria imported from fur farms, nutria were released, either intentionally or accidentally, in the Louisiana marshes, and soon after, nutria populations were established near the Gulf Coast. (2) The nutria was first released into the Louisiana marshes. And as they quickly reproduced they started to spread. (1) The nutria continued to expand their range from Louisiana as they were trapped and transplanted into marshes from Port Arthur, and Texas to the Mississippi River in 1941. Later that year, a hurricane further dispersed nutria populations in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. (1)
Impacts:
Impacts on the Ecosystem:
Some positive aspects of the nutria are populations were established for the purpose of controlling invasive aquatic plant populations in lakes in the Gulf region. (2) And their fur has become wanted around the U.S. (3) Negative aspects are nutria here have been severely damaged wetlands, and by 1998 over 100,000 acres of wetlands were damaged. The population of muskrats has decreased due to competition for food sources. (2) Extensive damage has been reported in rice, soybean, and sugar fields both from direct predation and from damage caused by nutria burrowing. (3)
Impact on Humans:
Most of the Louisiana nutria have been found to hold a virus or parasitical rash which causes severe itching. (2) There have also been economic impacts. Such as in spite of been trapped for its fur, nutria are considered pests in some places because their burrows damage dikes and irrigation facilities. Burrows sometimes penetrate or weaken the river banks. Nutria may raid rice and other cultivated crops, and they compete with native fur bearing animals. A demand for nutria fur developed in the early 19th century and has continued to the present. For this reason, nutria have been introduced almost worldwide. (3)
Nutria Hunted to Save Wetlands Youtube
<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/exf4PcMMk1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/exf4PcMMk1g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
Control Measures:
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is charged with the responsibility of managing and protecting Louisiana's abundant natural resources. They are trying to eliminate the population of Nutria by creating a trapping season. This season will take place from November 20th till March 31st. only people who apply to be part of this trapping this group will be allowed to trap and kill the nutria. And when the mark of 400,000 nutria trapped and killed is reached the season will no longer exist unless necessary again. This will occur in Louisiana and hopefully will soon occur in other states soon. (1)
Work Cited
(1) http://www.nutria.com/site5.php
(2) http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Myocastor_coypus.htm
(3) http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Myocastor_coypus.html